


Somewhere in Between

by LNIIWrites



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Denial of Feelings, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, First Kiss, Flirting, Fluff, Hogwarts, Humor, Mutual Pining, Romance, School Romance, Slow Burn, Tags will be regularly updated, The real ship, Twinks in love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-28
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2019-02-23 00:06:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13178118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LNIIWrites/pseuds/LNIIWrites
Summary: What was supposed to be a simple assignment turned out being a whole new type of project all on it's own.Alternatively, Harry and Draco are forced to work together and realize there's more to their relationship than them remaining as enemies.





	1. Class Project

From the first moment Draco talked to Harry they knew that they would never see eye to eye. Four years had gone by so quick and yet each year their hate for one another grew. The only thing that separated them was their status but, that would soon change.

Hogwarts did not discriminate between status or houses, yet Draco had never been in one of harry's classes until now. In previous years, Draco's father had taken the time to control every aspect of his son's life. This included friends, housing, and his class schedule but, since he was so busy trying to revive Voldemort, he had no time for something so mundane. With his father no longer taking control of his academic schedule, he was placed in the same classes as all the other fifth years. Draco disdained Harry potter, he wanted nothing to do with him, so it was a surprise when he walked into his first period class and saw the supposed chosen one himself. He looked at him in disgust and turned away as he walked to the other side of the class, he then realized that all the seats had been taken, all except one. 

Upon feeling watched, Harry looked around his surroundings, noticing that everyone was seated, nothing was out of the ordinary. He was about to turn back to his studies until that insistent feeling came back and he turned his head to the right. He made eye contact with none other than Slytherin's finest, Draco Malfoy. From his twisted up scowl to his pristine ironed robe, it was obvious Draco wasn’t supposed to be here. 'Why is he here of all places'. Noticing that all the seats were taken, Harry silently gestured to the only available one. Next to him. 

With a scowl Draco turned towards his seat, “Ugh I have to sit next to this scum he is nothing but a lowly orphan!!”. Something that was meant to come out as a harsh whisper, turned out being a declarative announcement and all heads turned to him. Draco sneered towards the onlookers and begrudgingly made his way to the seat right next to Harry's. 

The booming quality of Draco’s voice shouldn’t have startled Harry so much. However, the way Draco had spit out such venomous words without a care made Harry shiver. 

Pulling his satchel near his feet and his arms close to himself, Draco made absolutely sure to be as far away from Potter as he desperately could. The fact that his father was so horribly preoccupied with matters that didn’t involve Draco in the slightest, made him burn. He made positively sure that his father took care of these matters. 'What an absolutely horrid mess'. Unbeknownst to Draco, Harry was just as determined to pretend the other didn’t exist.

“How did you get placed in here?” Harry mentally slapped himself. 

Draco was shocked, “how dare you speak to me as if we are equals. Just keep quiet and we won't have any problems.” And with that, the class had begun and they both sat ignoring one another. All was going well until their professor had made an announcement.

“This class is mostly project based learning...therefore your first assignment in this class is a project that requires you to have a partner.” Draco immediately began to panic. 'Partners!?!? Who am I supposed to work with I don't know anyone in this class!' As his mind began to race people started to pair up and soon enough, everyone was taken. All except harry of course. A bout of anger overcame him and he leaped from his seat and marched towards the professor. He slammed his fist on to the table, “This is ridiculous I am the son of Lucius Malfoy and I don't need to work with others! I demand to be transferred out of this class immediately!”

Not waiting for the professor's response, Draco ran towards the door and reveled in the way it slammed shut behind him.


	2. Confrontation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter Saturday or Sunday!

Harry was struck with anxiety after hearing that he needed a partner for this class. As he looked around himself he found that everyone was paired up. ‘Why does this always happen to me?’ People had the tendency to stay away from Harry. Although people knew of him, they didn't really know him or want to be his friend, for that matter. Of course he had Ron, he was one of the very last few people he could consider family at this point. Trying to get rid of him was as difficult as trying to get Hermione to fail, and for that fact, he was grateful. 

Harry turned to look at an obviously upset Draco, ‘should I ask him to be my partner?’ Not soon after, he turned to see that Draco had made a scene in the classroom and fled. Just like that, Harry was left speechless and partner less.

Stunned, majority of the students turned around to see the commotion that Draco left behind. Harry should feel offended in some way, unsettled by the fact that someone could intentionally show their disgust for him. But coming from Draco, it was normal for Harry. Turning back around, most of the students gave their attention to the professor, seeming to not care about Draco’s routinely outbursts. He could move on, could keep working along with the rest of the class, but the anxiety of remaining without a partner kept nagging at Harry. Once the tapping of the pen began as the professor’s lecture droned on and as his foot started to bounce, Harry knew, he had to talk to Draco. 

The lecture carried on for thirty minutes more, ‘thirty too many’, Harry decided. And once the professor let everyone out, Harry became indecisive. Should he go and see where the boy who couldn’t care much for his existence be? He did need a partner, after all. Or head off to possibly go bump into a fumbling Ron? Once Harry got up from his seat, he became oblivious and tried his best to make it out of the swarm of students, finding it to become increasingly difficult to breath as each student nudged by him or carelessly pushed him in some way. Why should he even want to go find Draco. There wasn’t a single action that Draco did that showed any remote interest in Harry’s existence, the opposite seemed to be the truth in this case. It seemed that any time there was any sort of interaction between the two it either ended in heated stares or avoidance. So lost in his thoughts, it seemed Harry didn’t need to ponder any further of his predicament, as the object of his attention was seen pacing back and forth just around the hallway from the classroom. 

As Draco had left the classroom he didn't know what to do. His mind began racing and so did his heart. ‘Why did I just do that?!?! ugh! I just made myself look like an idiot!’ All he could do at this point was pace around and think about what he had just done. That's when it became increasingly more difficult for him to breathe. He started to become light-headed and he didn't know what to do. As he tried to settle his nerves he stared at the ground and that’s when he saw pair of worn out shoes slowly walk up to him. 

As Harry walked towards Draco he was mentally preparing himself as to what he would say. Before he had time to actually think of anything, he was already in front of Draco.

‘What should I do?’ Harry then saw that Draco looked upset so to comfort him, he reached out to him. And before he knew it, his hand was slapped out of the way. Harry was shocked at the fact his hand was just slapped away by none other than Draco himself.

“Don't you dare touch me potter!” 

Flinching, Harry retracted his hand quickly. Draco rarely resorted to physical confrontation, but this seemed to be the exception as it seemed he felt cornered. 

Harry’s face hardened. “You do realize there’s no one else available to partner up with, right?” ‘Hitting straight to the point, nice one Potter.’ There goes any air of formality. Crossing his arms, Harry had no idea how to act around Draco majority of the time. Should he be personable? Exuding large amounts of kindness in the hopes that some of it will rub off on Draco? If that was even possible. Or should he bite his tongue and try to make the best out of this bad situation. There was no point in fighting against this proverbial fire. 

“And what-” Draco moved a step closer to Harry, “you think you have the right to partner up with me?” At this point it was obvious that the mere thought of working together set Draco off in all the worse ways. It was hard to back down at this point. Students who were given the unfortunate privilege of knowing Draco Malfoy’s existence knew that it was difficult, if not impossible, to sway him. This bit of information would have seemed daunting to Harry in the past, especially if all those days spent avoiding Draco in the halls had anything to say for it.

“You don’t have to like it, it just needs to get done,” Harry reasoned, staring Draco dead in the eye, hoping he doesn't smell the fear emanating off of him. It seems like that rule could apply here all the same.

“This project has a big impact on our grade especially since it's our first assignment. I don't like this anymore then you do, but we need to do this.” Harry debated holding his hand out for Draco, but decided against it. “What do you say?”  
Draco stared at the ground for a second taking in Harry’s words. Then he shouted at the top of his lungs, ”Who the fuck do you think I am?!?!?! I will never, not in a million years, work with the likes of you! Now get out of my way Potter, I have some business to attend to.” Draco stormed off to his next class and Harry was left with the bitter taste of hate in his mouth.

**Author's Note:**

> Whoop another one for the Harry Potter fandom. This fic is a collaboration from myself and best friend, we had both went over and edited some stuff but, if you see anything grammatically wrong or whatever the case may be, don't be afraid to point it out! Don't forget to leave a kudo and comment :)  
> Thanks, enjoy.


End file.
